I was just laying on couch enjoying my weekend--although I think I could get MORE enjoyment out of it if I weren't single. But that's another post that may or may not get written. I figured I'd share my experience subbing the art class at the middle school yesterday. Since you're reading this, you know it didn't kill me.
*BACKSTORY* I have a love/hate relationship with the visual arts. I love looking at it, but I hate trying to create it, and I'm INSANELY jealous of anyone with an affinity for the visual arts. I mean seriously, I love what y'all do, but you make me sick.
I remember the day I came to hate art. I was in first grade, and the teachers aide held up the beginnings of my marshmallow head witch and used it as an example of how NOT to cut the black construction paper circle that would be the witch's skirt. "This is how you don't want yours to look, with all of these jagged edges" she said to the class. I was crushed because when she stopped my furious, left-handed snipping--replete with my tongue hanging out--I just knew she was going to give a little sista some dap for doing such a great job. After that, whenever the art teachers would come around (it was an itinerant position), I would get knots in my stomach. It was like, "What will I f*ck up this time?" Actually, my language wasn't that salty back then but that was certainly my feeling. When I finished elementary school and didn't have to fool with trying to cut, paste, shape or paint anything ever again, I was a happy black gal. True story.
So, anycow...back to yesterday. I won't even go into the behavior of the students. Trying to get middle schoolers--even the artsy ones, even the smart ones--to listen to a sub is a fools errand. Apparently the art teacher leaves some random art project for kids to work on in her absence. The step-by-step intructions were on the board and materials were laid out. There was even an example to show the students how the finished product should look--some of them STILL didn't do it to the teachers specs but whatevs. Basically, the kids had to trace a valentine on a piece of white paper, use a ruler to draw lines through the valentine and all the way across the paper. Then they had to trace the lines with black sharpie and fill in all sections with design and color. The finished product should have looked more or less like this:
That one is MINE believe it or not. The ruler helped a lot, although it still looks kinda rough. The kids with a natural affinity for visual art (that know how to follow directions) had some breathtaking pictures. One girl got frustrated and said, "I can't even draw! I just took this class to fill up my schedule!" I chuckled internally because I felt her pain, and her picture looked even rougher than mine, poor child. I gave each and every one of the students compliments and words of encouragement as I walked around the room. They can work a nerve, but I totally care about them.
Soooooo...If there's another sub opportunity for Art 6, 7, 8, I'll take it. It's not like they'll be making replicas of the Venus De Milo. Then again, if they are, I volunteer to do the arms. I know you're thinking, "But Shellybird, the Venus De Milo ain't got no arms!" Sho ya right... * smirk*
So, anycow...back to yesterday. I won't even go into the behavior of the students. Trying to get middle schoolers--even the artsy ones, even the smart ones--to listen to a sub is a fools errand. Apparently the art teacher leaves some random art project for kids to work on in her absence. The step-by-step intructions were on the board and materials were laid out. There was even an example to show the students how the finished product should look--some of them STILL didn't do it to the teachers specs but whatevs. Basically, the kids had to trace a valentine on a piece of white paper, use a ruler to draw lines through the valentine and all the way across the paper. Then they had to trace the lines with black sharpie and fill in all sections with design and color. The finished product should have looked more or less like this:
That one is MINE believe it or not. The ruler helped a lot, although it still looks kinda rough. The kids with a natural affinity for visual art (that know how to follow directions) had some breathtaking pictures. One girl got frustrated and said, "I can't even draw! I just took this class to fill up my schedule!" I chuckled internally because I felt her pain, and her picture looked even rougher than mine, poor child. I gave each and every one of the students compliments and words of encouragement as I walked around the room. They can work a nerve, but I totally care about them.
Soooooo...If there's another sub opportunity for Art 6, 7, 8, I'll take it. It's not like they'll be making replicas of the Venus De Milo. Then again, if they are, I volunteer to do the arms. I know you're thinking, "But Shellybird, the Venus De Milo ain't got no arms!" Sho ya right... * smirk*
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